I found out today a girl I knew in high school died of heart failure, a complication from bulimia. She had kids and was very loved by a lot of family and people. I want to go to the funeral but it will be so massively crowded and I haven’t seen her in years, so I will stay home. They are probably going to have to set up speakers outside the church to accommodate the number of people expected. From the outside, she had the perfect life. However, looks can certainly be deceiving. She was actually a guest on the Dr. Phil show a while back in a “my husband is too controlling” type episode.

My mom and her Mom were good friends when we were in school, and have remained friendly since. They run in close circles, but don’t neccessarily hang out together regularly. She was between my brother and I in school and had some younger siblings.

She was too young. Way, way too young. Wow. I guess we aren’t invincible. A heart attack at 34. Another one of my classmate’s husband had a heart attack at 30. That is the problem with going to such a small school I guess…you know everybody really well, from about 5 years older, to about 5 years younger.

For the hometown people reading this, the obit is in the Hutch paper.

eta: I heard a little more about this situation. It wasn’t *just* the bulemia. She had a “barbie complex” and felt driven to be “perfect”. She did things to excess in her strive for perfection like excercising and jogging to excess and ‘fake bake’ tanning, which has rays that can go through the skin and shut down your kidneys (or liver, can’t remember which). Kidney failure can cause a heart attack too, as I learned from the death of a family member. Some friends that saw her shortly before death said she was way, way too brown for her blond hair/blue eyed natural skin color. So, bulemia was just part of the equation, a symptom of a much deeper issue.

I just feel so sad for her and her family. To have that kind of compulsion must have been a horrible burden for her. She must have just been in turmoil inside to do that to herself. She was so bright and vibrant, so loving. It is just tragic in every sense of the word.

We were in the store and Zane wanted to go to the toy section. He kept saying “I want the ocean please” I was, understandably, confused. When we got to the toys, he ran up to the pool stuff, next to the toy section, and started hugging this box and repeating, excitedly, that he wanted the ocean. After trying to get him to say water slide or pool I gave up (he wasn’t listening, just trying to lug the box off the shelf) and just told him ‘no, we aren’t buying the ocean”. lol. Even after we moved on, he would occasionally ask for ‘the ocean’ and I kept saying that “no, we aren’t buying the ocean”. I got some funny looks as people witnessed the “please buy me the ocean” argument. lol.

Another one…

Earlier today, he kept saying “I want a”…and something that sounded like picnic. I started working on figuring out what he was saying…is it food? in your room? and was receiving answers that weren’t gelling. I could not figure out what he wanted and finally told him to show me what he wanted. He took me to his room, and in the middle of the floor was the chocolate syrup, milk, spoon, and straw. He DID want a picnic. He wanted a glass so he could have chocolate milk in his room on the floor like a picnic. Pretty cute. I also must mention he is pretty fast because that stuff wasn’t there when I went to the bathroom and he caught me on the way out of the bathroom to help him. lol.

Practicing scissors skills with construction paper and magazines, Right now he can grasp the scissors correctly without help about 5-10% of the time. (big accomplishment there!) He can finally cut ok if I hold the paper (although not well aimed yet), but if I let go of the paper, it falls apart within a cut or two as he tries to hold the paper and cut at the same time. Skills are pretty equal in both hands. He loves the gluing part.

Although he can write great with sidewalk chalk, he is still struggling with a pencil. He still isn’t hand dominant.

Watercolor paint done with q-tips instead of a brush.

The other picture is markers and glitter glue

For parents of kiddos struggling with some of these thing: Glitter glue and q-tips as a paint brush are good for fine motor planning and control. The writing paper is Mead’s Learn to Letter paper and has raised guidelines. It gives tactile reinforcement to where the letters go.

“Learning” is so much fun, especially at this age! He had a ball and it was great to see him finally able to cut with scissors successfully. After his ST and OT yesterday I stopped by the grocery store and got him ice cream. I even splurged on some cones so he can have a true ‘ice cream cone’ like he always wants. With the weather being in the 112 F range, both of us wanted something to cool off with and the cones at restaurants are too big to finish before making a sticky disaster. He was particularly pleased to have cherry chocolate ice cream. lol

She had her baby! A little boy, 7 1/2 lbs and 20-some inches long (I think it was 21, but I am not sure). Her water was broke at 8am and he was born around 5 pm, in three pushes. She was, understandably, exhausted! It is her 4th child, but her husbands 1st. He is absolutely giddy. He is such a great step dad that I know he will be a great at all this. He doesn’t have experience with babies though. Her youngest was early grade school age when they got married.

I wish I could afford to go see them! Maybe this fall we can do a weekend trip.

A dear friend of mine was supposed to be induced today. I haven’t heard anything yet and it is driving me NUTS! I want to call, but I don’t want to intrude on the new family. Pins and needles I tell ya!

Oh, and this heat wave can stop anytime. Wow, it is so insanely hot outside and our AC is having trouble keeping up. Both the kids are cranky from being kept inside and the warmth. So is mama for that matter. lol.

Zane's age

Zane is 16 years, 4 months, and 28 days old

Zora's age

Zora is 12 years, 5 months, and 1 day old

Random Quote

One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.— Maya Angelou